Bottle-cover.



" TATES rrn v ArnNr OFFICE.

VALENTINE FLEOKENSTEIN, OF ST. PAUL, MINNESOTA, ASSIGNOOR TO THE NOR'll-IWESTERN GRASS TWINE COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

BOTTLE-COVER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 665,894, dated January 15, 1901.

Application iiled March 1l, 1899. Renewed August 18, 1900. Serial No. 27,254. (No model.)

T @ZZ whom, t may concern: Be it known that I, VALENTINE FLECKEN- STEIN, a citizen of the United States, residing` Io bottle-cover which is economical in manufac-` ture, of simple construction, and is efficient in use.

A further object of the invention is to utilize, in the manufacture of bottle-covers, a material which is abundant and inexpensive and which efficiently serves the purpose in view. The invention consists, substantially, in the construction, combination, location, arrangement, and mode of operation, all substantially zo as will be more fully hereinafter set forth, as shown in the accompanying drawings, and finally specifically pointed out in the appended claim. l

Referring to the accompanying drawings, and to the various views and reference-signs appearing thereon, Figure l is a plan view of a bottle-cover embodying the principles of my invention ready to be applied to a bottle. Fig. 2 is a transverse section of the cover, 3o showing the manner of stitching the same.

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 1,showing a securing twine or cord applied thereto.

The body A of the bottle-cover is made of suitable fibrous or other material, such as 3 5 hair, hay, excelsior, straw, grass, or the like.

The material is cut to the required length corresponding to the length of the cover to be made and is arranged in a sheet or mat of the desired width to form the cover and of 4o any suitable or desired thickness of material, the strandsstems, or stalks of hay, straw,

grass, or the like being arranged in substantially parallel relation. When the material has been arranged in the form of a mat of uniform thickness throughout, it is then secured together in any suitable manner, as by stitching the same across, as indicated at B C D, the loops of the stitches passing back and forth through the material, as clearly in- 5o dicated in Fig. 2. Any desired number of rows of stitches may be employed as required wrapping the cover around the bottle.

in order to hold the material well together.

In the drawings I have shown three rows of stitches-one at each end--and one about midway the length of the cover, and I have found this number to be satisfactory, though it is evident that a greater or smaller number of rows of stitches may be employed, if desired or necessary.

When the mat or cover constructed as de- 6o scribed is completed, it is ready to be applied to a bottle. This is accomplished by merely If desired and in order to retain the cover about the bottle, a string, cord, or the like (indicated at E) may be emp1oyed. This may be separate from the cover, if desired, or, and pref erably, it may be secured to the wrapper body or mat as by stitching the same transversely across such body, as clearly shown in Fig. 3. 7o A preferable arrangement is shown wherein the stitches of the middle row also pass through the securing thread or cord, thereby serving also to secure such thread or cord to the body of the cover, the thread or cord eX- tending transversely across the body of the cover at a point about midway the length thereof and projecting beyond the edge of the cover.

A bottle-cover constructed as above de- 8o scribed is designed as a cheap Wrapper in which the bottle is inclosed or wrapped and which affords efficient protection against breakage during shipment, transportation, or

handling of the bottle.

"While I have mentioned hair, straw, hay, and excelsior as suitable materials out of which the cover may be made, I have found in practice that grass, and particularly marshgrass, answers the purpose admirably, and be- 9o ing an uncultivated product of nature besides is cheap and abundant, the only expense involved being that of collecting it. The manufacture of bottle-covers in accordance with the invention is carried out in connection with the manufacture of grass twine in accordance with Patent No. 412,963, issued October l5, 1889, to George A. Lowry. The collected marsh-grass is first selected for use in making the twine, only the longer stems, stalks, or roo strands being employed for such purpose. The shorter stalks or stems, which are undesirable for use in the manufacture of the twine and which have heretofore been thrown away and Wasted, are in accordance with the present invention utilized for the manufacture of bottle-covers. Thus the utilization of this by-product of the grass-twine manufacture enables all the collected grass to be worked up into useful commercial and salable commodities, the expense of manufacture of the covers being reduced to merely the wages of the labor required. Thus by using a waste material I am enabled to produce bottle-'covers which are efficient for practical purposes at a minimum expense. By arranging the straws as described in the form of a mat of the required dimensions and of uniform thickness the bottle when inclosed therein is efiiciently protected at all points, and by employing a securing-string which is wrapped around the bottle after the cover is applied the cover is held to the bottle.

vWhile I have described the invention as applied to the manufacture of bottle-covers, it is evident that a mat constructed as described is capable of use generally as a packing cover or mat for packing articles for shipment, transportation, or the like. By

4 constructingthe cover in the form of a mat its application to a bottle as a packing-cover is facilitated, the mat beingmerely wrapped around the bottle, and by making the securing string, cord, or twine of sufficient length notonly is the cover efficiently held to the bottle when said string or cord is wrapped,

what I claim as new and useful and of my' own invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

As a new article of manufacture, a bottlecover comprising grass strands, stems or straws, arranged in parallel relation to form an integral dat mass of uniform thickness throughout, and of suitable dimensions, and having rows of stitching extending transversely thereof, one at eachend and one about midway the length thereof,whereby said mass is held together, and `a securing string or twine arranged to extend transversely across the body thereof and at a pointabout midway the length of such body, said securing string or twine projecting beyond the edge of the said body and secured to such body by the middle row of stitches, as and for the purpose set forth.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand, this 6th day of March, 1899, in the presence of the subscribing witnesses.

VALENTINE FLECKENSTEIN.

Witnesses:

FRED E. BARNEY, S. E. DARBY. 

